Brittany Peterson is an amazing ultra-runner and even better human being. We first met her last year on the podcast. If you want to learn more about her running journey, check out that episode. On this podcast we are going to talk about other big changes in her life. Brittany has been dealing with hip issues and recently had surgery on both hips. She has experienced some major life changes while on a journey to self-discovery. Brittany is handling everything with a wonderful attitude and hope for the future. Let’s get caught up!
We first met Brittany on the podcast over a year ago. One of the things we love most about her is her amazing attitude. She has been faced with some challenges lately as she recovers from surgery on both hips. Brittany is candid about the recent challenges and changes in her life. She is choosing to embrace change and move forward with positivity.
IG- @runhappyb
Benny Braden is a retired EMT and rescue diver, Electrician, long distance hiker, founder and CEO of responsible stewardship, photographer, YouTuber, and PTS survivor. Benny is living his best life thanks to long distance back packing and God (quote from the Highline documentary).
Benny Braden is all about making a positive impact. We had a great conversation about trauma, mental health, and long-distance backpacking. Benny shares his insights on the importance of nature and healing. He is very candid about his struggles with PTS. We also discuss his FKT in the Smoky Mountains and other amazing hikes. Benny is passionate about educating people on how to practice responsible stewardship on the trails. He also shares some stories about the Highline Documentary. This is an important conversation that we were honored to be a part of.
Highline is available for download on Amazon Prime, ITunes and Google Play.
To learn more about responsible stewardship visit ResponsibleStewarship.org.
To learn more about the Reboot Recovery Program or donate visit rebootrecovery.com.
IG - @therealbennybraden
Jeffrey James Binney is living his best life. He is an adventure travel host with Trova Trips, trail runner, comedian, and public speaker. He is also the producer and director of the amazing documentary Once Is Enough. Jeffrey was our very first podcast guest two years ago, we could not think of a better person to celebrate 100 episodes with. So much has changed in the last two years so let’s get caught up!
To celebrate our 100th episode we brought back our very first guest and one of our most favorites, Jeffrey James Binney. You know you are going to have fun whenever he is around. This is an entertaining and inspiring conversation; we cover a lot of topics. Thank you for being a part of our 100th episode and supporting us along the way!
Check out Jeffrey's YouTube channel here: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCyn34XHws1HeMzDKa8JLyTg
Kris & Carly chronicaled the shenanigans behind planning an all-gals backpacking adventure with our friends Caitlin and Muriel. This one is fun and goofy but goes to show that ANYONE can get out there and do new things!
Our fabulous friend Bill is back on the pod to talk all about REDEMPTION. We hear about the race that didn't quite work out and the race that absolutely crushed expectations!
Lizzie Jones was arrested in 2018 while running down the street in the middle of the night high on drugs. Her Dad came to her rescue and helped get her admitted into rehab. After spending the first few months of her sobriety completely lost, trying various activities, it wasn’t until she found running that she found the confidence and strength that she never knew she had. She ran her first 100 miler six months into her running journey, completed two 100 milers and logged 3,000 miles last year. Lizzie has found peace within herself and a drive to explore her potential in the sport that has transformed her life.
Lizzie is living her best life; she has found the thing that fulfills her. Running ultras has helped her transform her life and bring her joy. This is an amazing story of strength. Lizzie talks about what led her to trail running and how the community has enriched her life. She also talks about her first 100 miler (it was her first ultra). Lizzie shares some skydiving and base-jumping adventures as well. We are so grateful Lizzie shared her story with us, you will be inspired.
IG - @lizzielizardjones
Loretta Tobolske-Horn is an ultra-marathon addict and Ornery Mule Racing Endurance Coach. Loretta has some impressive finishes under her belt, first in the 2021 Alexander County 24-hour race; third female in the Six Days in the Dome 24-hour race in 2021; third place female in the Desert Solstice Elite 24-hour track event just to name a few.
We had a great conversation with Loretta. She didn’t start running ultras until later in life but that hasn’t stopped her from some amazing accomplishments. Loretta shares her journey to ultras and why she loves the 24 hour and track races. As a former special education teacher, we discuss inclusion and how that factors into her coaching style. Loretta will inspire you to keep training and challenging yourself.
Evangelyn Willdrot was a Becoming Ultra season 11 participant. Evangelyn wrestled with addiction and mental health issues in adolescence and young adulthood. Her search to heal her own trauma led her to specialize in treating trauma, eventually becoming a therapist. Evangelyn is also the mother to three young children.
Evangelyn is a true warrior. This conversation will resonate with so many of us who struggle. Evangelyn talks openly about trauma in her life and how she numbed the pain with alcohol and unhealthy habits. She made a choice to change her entire life and has not looked back. She also shares the ongoing struggles and how she manages them. We talk about hunting and how that has helped her find peace and confidence. Evangelyn also shares her ultra running journey and what spending time in nature has given back to her. We loved this conversation!
IG- @arrowsandultras
Emily Hawgood is a professional athlete for Adidas Terrex. She grew up in Zimbabwe, from the age of 5 she attended boarding school 2 and half hours from home and attended college in Idaho. She is currently living and training in California. She has had some impressive ultra-running finishes. 1st women at Ultra Trail Cape Town 100k in 2018 and 2nd place in 2019; 1st women at Idaho Mountain Trail Ultra in 2020; 7th place women at Western States in 2021; 6th woman at UTMB in 2022, just to name a few.
Emily is one of the sweetest guests we have had on our podcast. Her openness and smile pull you in. Emily tells us about growing up in Zimbabwe and how her experiences there have shaped her. We talk about attending college in Idaho, meeting her running coach, Paul Lind, and her love of the mountains. Emily also talks about her journey to Western States. Emily embraces the phrase be kind and give people time. This one will leave you feeling happy.
IG- @emilyhawgood
We are very excited to have Harvey Lewis joining us on the podcast. He is an ultra-running legend! Harvey spends his days as a teacher in Ohio and appears to be one of the nicest people in ultra-running. Harvey is a 5-time member of the USA National 24-hour team. Harvey has competed in well-known events all over the world such as Badwater, Barkley Marathons, Marathon des Sables, Bid Dog Backyard Ultra and many more.
Harvey is living his best life; he is full of enthusiasm and joy. We talk about living and training in Cincinnati and running to and from work. Harvey talks about being competitive for more than 25 years and self-care. We also talk about some of Harvey’s biggest races including the Barkley Marathons and Badwater. Harvey is a wonderful role model and is a true example of when you put good out there good comes back to you.
IG- @harveylewisultrarunner
http://www.runquesttravel.com/home/
Katie Zornes is on an ultra-journey to become healthier, both mentally and physically. She has struggled with depression her entire life and struggled with weight most of her life. After a mental crumble in 2021 she has slowly crawled out of that dark space by having the courage to do one hard thing at a time and document her journey on her website and Instagram.
This one is sure to inspire you! Katie takes us through her mental and physical struggles and how she is taking hold of those hard moments and moving forward. Katie discusses how she believed the key to happiness was weight loss and how that impacted her mental health. We talk about doing 22 hard things in 2022 and what is on the list for 2023. Katie is a beautiful person who is using her voice and actions to inspire others.
Instagram @tri_ing_to_live
Website: katiezornes.com
Devon Yanko is an accomplished ultra-runner with some impressive wins including most recently, Javelina 100. She is also ranked #6 female ultrarunner of the year by Ultrarunning magazine. There is much more to know about Devon.
We had a lot of fun talking to Devon. We talked about the challenges she faces since being diagnosed with Lupas. She shares how self-care has changed and how she finds balance. We discuss her recent Javelina win and what is next. We also talk about her labor of love, Women of Distance Podcast. We loved everything about this conversation!
IG - @fastfoodie
Lindsey McElroy Ulrich lives for adventures, trails, and mountains. She is not only a fierce trail runner but also a 10-year stroke survivor and busy mom. She went from barely being able to walk to crushing down barriers and living her best life. She lives her life full of gratitude for every day.
Most people can’t imagine running the distances Lindsey has. The fact that she became an ultra-runner after having a stroke and losing her ability to walk is even more remarkable. On this podcast Lindsey shares her remarkable story from a place of gratitude. She has had some amazing adventures from the Marathon Des Sables to nine days on the PCT. She knows no limits and her motto is never give up on yourself. You will rethink what is possible for you after listening to her story.
IG - @lindsruns
Fresh off her Boston Marathon finish our own Carly shares her experience. She has dreamed of qualifying for and running Boston since her early marathon days. This is a fun episode you don’t want to miss!
Monica Soileau with the help of her amazing crew recently finished the Badger Mountain Challenge 100 Miler. This race has over 17,000 feet of elevation gain. Of the 127 registered, 65 finished. We love to feature our fellow Team BU people when they accomplish hard things. Monica couldn’t share her story without her incredible crew being a part of it. When people pull together to help someone accomplish their goals everyone wins. This is a fun one!
John Kelly is a husband, father of four, ultra-runner, and explorer. He has a PhD in electrical engineering and is the tech co-founder at Envelop Risk Analytics. He is also part of an elite group of people to have finished the Barkley Marathons. One of only 17 people to have finished and one of three people to finish more than once.
In this conversation we discuss what it takes to succeed at the Barkley Marathons, how the BM has evolved for John over the years, training and preparing for it, and why Laz has made changes over the years. We also talk about John’s amazing Hard Rock finish. John also shares how he balances family, training, and his career. He has an incredible mental toughness and positive mindset and looks forward to hard challenges. This one is sure to inspire you to do that hard thing.
IG- @randomforestrunner
Lauren Jones is the founder of Life’s 2 Short Fitness. She has a passion to educate, encourage, and empower women through her many retreats. Lauren is one of the most positive and encouraging women we have ever met. We have had the pleasure of sharing trail miles with her and experiencing it firsthand. She has her own story of struggles to share. We discuss that and the power of staying positive and never giving up on your goals. Lauren believes you don’t know your limits until you push past them. This conversation is full of inspiration. Hopefully you will be encouraged to step out of your comfort zone and have an amazing adventure.
IG - @lifes2shortfitness
www.lifes2shortfitness.com
Jeff Browning (aka Bronco Billy) is a veteran ultra-runner and endurance coach. He has competed in some of the world’s most difficult ultra-mountain races over the past two decades, amassing nearly 200 ultra-marathon finishes and 39 career ultra-wins. Of those, 27 were in the 100-mile plus distance, placing him second in the world for the most 100-mile wins in history. He holds multiple course records, including Moab 240 and The double record for the fastest combined times of Western States 100 and Hardrock 100 (a mere 19 days apart). He was ranked No. 3 in Ultrarunning Magazine’s North American Ultrarunner of the Decade (2010-2019) and has been ranked seven times in the Top Ten of Ultrarunning Magazine’s North American Ultrarunner of the Year – the first and only man over 50 to make the list. He lives and trains in Flagstaff, Arizona with his wife and three children.
We really enjoyed this conversation with Jeff. This guy has been doing Ultras for a long time and is full of knowledge and wisdom. We covered so many topics on this one. Jeff talks about how embracing the process of training has kept him motivated. He also talks about nutrition and how that has made the biggest impact on his performance. We also talk about balancing family, career, training, and coaching. We even got into a fun discussion about music. Jeff’s words of encouragement are some of our favorite. We know you will enjoy this conversation as much as we did.
IG- @gobroncobilly
Coaching - www.gobroncobilly.com
Dave & Jenn Goins are no strangers to ultra-marathons. They were Becoming Ultras first married couple selected as part of season 10 and they have not stopped taking on challenges. In February they ran their first ultra-together, Black Canyon 100K. On this podcast they talk about the highs and lows and how they got each other through it. We love to see couples supporting each other.
Riley Brady is a 27-year-old trail runner and bicycle mechanic, who recently moved to Boulder, Colorado. They are spending the next few months focusing on running but eventually hopes to move into the frame building side of the bike world. Outside of running and work Riley loves goofing around with friends and internet cat videos.
Riley is living their best life! We had a great time chatting with them. Their positive energy is contagious. We covered so many topics on this one. Riley discusses their Javelina 100 race that earned a Golden Ticket as well as being name one of the top ranked ultra-runners by Ultra Runner Magazine. We also discussed being a non-binary athlete and inclusion in ultra-running. Riley shares some DNF experiences and how they view them. This was one of our favorite conversations. I hope you listen with an open mind and open heart.
IG - @rye.outside
Melissa McGaughey has always been passionate about health, fitness, and nutrition. However, in today's society there is so much conflicting information, fad diets and trends to follow that we become overwhelmed. This can lead to unhealthy habits and leave us under fueled when we are trying so hard to live a healthy life. Through years of experimenting with the latest and greatest trends, fad diets and attempting to live a healthy life, she found herself unbalanced and unhealthy. Having a baby inspired her to follow her passion for health and fitness, so she could learn to decipher the conflicting information about nutrition and fitness, truly nourish her body, and be a good role model for her daughter. Melissa studied to be an integrative health and nutrition coach at the Institute of Integrative Nutrition in NYC, where she became a Certified Health Coach. Further expanding her nutrition and fitness knowledge by becoming a Master’s Sports Nutritionist and Certified Personal Trainer at the National Association of Sports Nutrition in San Diego, where she became proficient in exercise metabolism, body composition testing, metabolic evaluation, pre and post workout fueling and nutrition for recovery. she also discovered a love for reformer Pilates and completed the training to become a Pilates instructor. Hours of reading, research, and certification through the Self Talk Institute, taught her that your mindset and internal self-talk play a vital role in whether you're successful in achieving your goals. Melissa is also an avid runner and advocate for being outdoors.
This is a subject we have been wanting to talk about for a while. This is a great conversation about nutrition, fitness, and aging. Melissa has so much knowledge, we could have talked to her for hours. We discuss macro training; intermittent fasting; whole foods; protein and the unique needs all of us have. We also talk about mindset and internal self-talk and much more. Melissa is a wonderful advocate for a healthy life and wants to share that with everyone.
IG - @melissa_eduralife
www.enduralife.com
In 1998 at 17 years old Harold Jr. Allen’s young life was forever changed. He was arrested for a crime he did not commit and served 10 years in prison. Initially filled with anger and despair, he eventually resigned himself to serving his time and making the most of it. After his release he gradually slipped into destructive behaviors until 2014 when he was recruited to run a local 5k, he loved it and within a few months was training for a marathon. Harold has been running 100 milers for the last five years. Seven years ago, Harold created Buckle Up a fitness / running group that provides a positive and encouraging environment designed to help others discover what they can achieve. Harold turned tragedy into triumph!
Buckle Up everyone! Harold has remarkable story to tell. Harold talks about the lessons he learned in prison and how he learned to believe in himself. We talk about his path to running and eventually to 100 milers. Harold has found a way to inspire his community with Buckle Up, we talk about what this gives back to him. We covered so much in this hour of talking. Harold is someone who turned tragedy into triumph. He follows the best advise he was ever given, love life and love people.
IG - @haroldallen19811
Beth and Rebecca are both very driven and have finished some extremely challenging events. They have also experienced DNF’s. On this podcast we take a deep dive into the emotions that go along with a DNF. This is not always an easy topic for people, we appreciate their candor. Our hope is that if you experience a DNF you will remember some of the wisdom shared on this podcast and move forward ready to tackle another goal.
Brian Murray is an accomplished real estate investor and author who loves trail running and is an amateur endurance athlete. He was on Season 9 of Becoming Ultra and has completed 16 marathons and three ultramarathons. His biggest brush with fame was when he got to be Carly Heard’s teammate on Becoming Ultra. Brian recently returned from a trek to Everest Base Camp and is currently training for the Black Canyon 100K in February. He lives in Alpharetta, Georgia with his wife, son, and two dogs.
It was so fun catching up with our Becoming Ultra teammate who was Carly’s partner for season 9. Brian is not just inspiring because of his accomplishments but because of how he lives his life. Brian shares with us what led him to getting fit later in life, how he maintains good habits, and why it is important to step out of your comfort zone. We also talk about his latest adventure at Everest and how much he gained from the experience. There is some great insight on this podcast. We know you will love this one as much as we do.
IG- @crushingitbrian
Marshall Ulrich is an ultra-marathon running legend, adventure racer, mountaineer, and author. He has completed over 130 ultra-marathons, completed a 3,063-mile run across America, he has climbed the tallest summit on each continent, and finished 12 expedition length adventure races, and completed all 10 Eco Challenge Adventure Races, something only two people in the world have done. He has crossed Death Valley on foot for the 30th time to raise money in honor of his dear friend and teammate, Mark Macy, who was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s in 2018. Marshall is arguably one of the most driven men on the planet.
What a privilege it was to spend time talking with Marshall. He is a genuine, kind, and inspiring person. On this episode we talked about the Route 66 Ultra run and why Marshall and his wife Heather created it. We also discuss the special bond with Mark Macy and the Stray Dogs. Marshall explains why it is important to keep challenging yourself and discusses how aging has changed things for him. We also talk about Badwater and the Eco challenges. There is a lot of wisdom in this one. It will always be a special one for us. Enjoy!
IG - @marshall.ulrich